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This garden is designed with plants that require less water than traditional landscapes. It is divided into hydrozones, groups of plants with similar water, soil, and exposure needs. Each of these groups is watered by its own valve on the automatic system. Our garden has four separate sections, loosely corresponding to California's natural plant communities, each with a different watering schedule.
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| Hydrozones found in the garden: | |||
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Sagebrush: plantings of grasses and "pillows" | ||
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Transitional planting blending California & Mediterranean natives featuring a burgundy/lime green color scheme | ||
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Woodland clearing: plantings that do well in dry shade | ||
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Dry creek bed: plantings with grassy textures to indicate water | ||
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Easy Perennials for full sun | ||
| This system offers many benefits: | MAKE EVERY DROP COUNT The garden is watered with a revolutionary irrigation system. This system utilizes a special kind of drip line, called Netafim (more info). Water emerges from emitters that are built into the tubing. This self-cleaning tubing is rugged and resists clogging. The drip line is placed in a grid pattern to provide uniform coverage. The drip system is operated by an "ET" controller (more info). ET, or evapotranspiration, is a term that describes the amount of water used by plants. The Controller receives daily updates from a weather satellite and adjusts accordingly. This means as the weather gets hotter, more water is applied. As temperatures cool, less water is emitted. |
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Saves water and money by reducing water usage | ||
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Improves plant growth | ||
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Eliminates runoff, reducing urban pollution | ||
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Permeable hardscape options found in the garden. |
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Most "hardscapes", which are hard surfaces like sidewalks, driveways, patios and paths, do not allow water to pass through the soil beneath. When we water our gardens too much, water runs of these hard surfaces and into gutters and storm drains. This water, often containing residues of fertilizers and other chemicals, pollutes groundwater, creeks and streams on its way to the Sacramento Delta and San Francisco Bay, where it harms fish and other wildlife and threatens the health of the entire ecosystem. One of the solutions to this serious problem is "pervious" or "permeable" hardscapes, made of materials like flagstone or slate set in sand or decomposed granite, interlocking pavers or brick set in sand, wooden decking or permeable concrete, which is cement made without sand. This way, water can run through these materials. Soil itself can filter many harmful elements from the water. |
 Interlocking pavers set in sand. |
 Flagstone set in decomposed granite. |
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 Pervious concrete. |
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In Mediterranean climates such as ours, plants must endure long, dry summers with little to no water and must occasionally fight to survive drought. Over time, they have adjusted to these dry periods by changing their colors and shapes. What the human eye interprets as beautiful and interesting color, form, and texture are actually the plant's adaptation to natural conditions.
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